JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Today, hundreds of Jacksonville community leaders came together at the 31st annual Barbara Ann Campbell Memorial breakfast to bring attention to ways to avoid that type of violence and the resources Hubbard House has to offer.

Two local domestic violence survivors shared their stories with the audience.

“Leaving was the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Heather said, a domestic violence survivor.”

“I went through years of abuse at a young age, and it made me think that violence was normal,” Sharron said, a domestic violence survivor.

Present at the event was a Memorial table with seven empty chairs. Those seven empty chairs represent the seven lives lost to intimate partner domestic violence locally last year.

According to the Duval County Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team, Duval County recorded 19 total domestic violence-related deaths, including three murder-suicides.

Gail Patin is the CEO of Hubbard House. She says the community plays an important role in helping survivors.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE

“I hope to raise awareness about domestic violence in our community and to thank the community for how they come out to support survivors,” Patin said. “We can’t do this alone, and it’s only because of the community that survivors are able to find a life free of violence.”

For Sharron and Heather they say Hubbard House gave them a second chance.

“They helped me to stand on my own when I wasn’t sure that I could stand at all,” Sharron said.

“It’s not just furniture or clothing, Hubbard house gave me something much bigger, the chance to start over,” Heather said.

If you or someone you know might be experiencing domestic violence, call Hubbard House’s 24/7 Hotline at 904-354-3114.

[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.

Action News Jax Top Stories